Ventilating window assembly and latch therefor



July 27, 1948. G. M. LANE my. 2,445,954

VENTILATING WINDOW ASSEMBLY .AND LATCH THEREFOR Filed sept. 8, 1947INVENToRs 60V /7. AWE

Patented July 27, 1948 VENTILATING WINDOW S SEMBLY AND LATCH THEREFORGuy M. Lane and Harold G. Thunder, Detroit,

Mich., assignors to Motor Products Corpora- I tion, Detroit, Mich., acorporation of New York Application September 8, 1947,` Serial No.772,743

Y on vehicle bodies.

'Ventilator windows of th'e type to which the present invention pertainsusually comprise a main frame and a ventilator supported in the "framefor swinging movement about a generally vertically extending axislocated between the front and rear edges of the ventilator.

YIt is customary -in most ventilator window cleslgns toprovide somemeans Iat the inner side of 'the ventilator for latching the same in itsclosed position with respect to the main frame. This is ordinarilyaccomplished by a latch arm pivotally supported on the bottom bar of theventilator frame in a position rearwardly of the axis of swingingmovement of the frame.

Regardless of the particular location of the latch arm on the ventilatorwindow, it is nevertheless readily visible by occupants of the vehicle,and it is, therefore, one of the objects of this invention to provide alatch assembly which imparts a pleasing appearance to the ventilatorwindow.

Another object of this invention is to provide a latch assembly'composed of a relatively few number of parts capable of beinginexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed.

Th'e foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent asthis description proceeds, especially when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a ventilator windowembodying a latch assembly construction in accordance with thisinvention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2-2 oi. Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, it will be noted that thereference numeral I0 indicates a part of a vehicle body ventilatorwindow comprising a main frame II and Ia ventilator I2. The ventilatorI2 is supported in the main frame I I for swinging movement about agenerally vertically extending axis I3 located between the front andrear edges of th'e ventilator. Asis customary in ventilator windows ofthe above type, the main frame is constructed to support a ilexibleweather strip I4 shaped to establish a weather-tight seal between theventilator I2 and main frame when the former is in its closed position.

The ventilator I2 comprises a glass pane1 I4 and a frame I5. Inaccordance with convention 4 Claims. (Cl. 296-44) practice, the frame I5is formed of top, front and bottom bars substantially channel-shaped incross section for receiving the adjacentmarginal edge portions of theglass panel I4. The front bar of the ventilator frame is pivotallyconnected intermediate the ends thereof to the adjacent bar of the mainframe by a pivot assembly I6 having its axis coincident with the axisI3. The `bottom bar I1 of the ventilator frame is also pivoted to thebottom bar of the main frame by a pivot Iassembly I8 having its axisalso coincident with the axis I3. The pivot assembliesform no part ofth'e present invention, and are therefore, not-clescribed in detailherein. It will suffice to point out that these pivot assemblies are ofa nature to permit swinging movement of the ventilator I 2 about thevertical axis I3. i

The ventilator is secured in its closed position with respect to themain frame by means of a latch assembly I9 comprising a cam plate o1'keeper 20 and a latch arm 2|. The keeper 20 is secured to the bottom barof the main frame II rearwardly of the Kaxis I3, and is provided with aninwardly extending cam portion 22 for engagement with the latch' arm 2lin a manner to be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The latch arm 2| is carried by a bracket 23 having an upstanding part 24occupying a position in a slot 25 formed in the inner iiange of thechannel-shaped bottom bar I'I and forming a pivotal support for thelatch arm 2 I. An attaching flange 26 extends laterally outwardly fromthe lower end of the upstanding part 24 into the channel of the bottombar I1 below the ladjacent edge of the panel I4, and is secured to thebase of the channel bar I1 by rivets 2l. The attaching liange has alength greater than the length of the slot 25 to assure a rigidconnection between th'e bracket 24 and the bar I1. The upstanding part24 has a length corresponding approximately to the length of the slot25, so as to substantially close the latter and an escutcheon plate 28is secured to the inner surface of the part 24 to conceal the latter andslot 25. The plate 28 is, of course, centrally apertured to receive thehub of the latch arm 2 I, and is formed with an outwardly extending ange29 at the upper end which overlies the top of the slot '25 in the bottombar I'I. Thus it will be noted that the construction presents a neat andpleasing appearance from the inner side of the window.

The latch arm 2| is shown in Figure `ll of the `drawing as having anoperating handle 30 and a projection 3l positioned to engage th'e keeperor cam plate 20 when the arm 2| is swung to its latched position tosecure the ventilator in its closed position in the window frame Il.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A Ventilator window assembly comprising a main frame, a ventilatorpanel supported in the main frame for swinging movement about agenerally vertically extending axis,` a frame forthe ventilator-panelhaving an upwardly opening channel-shaped bottom bar for receiving thelower edge portion of the panel and having la? f fmain "frame, avventilator panel supported inthe mainframe 4for vswinging movement abouta gen- -era1ly1vertically#extending axis, a frame for the ventilatorpanel having an upwardly opening i' channelv-sh'aped bottom bar forreceiving the `l-loweredgeportiorisof the panel and having a'slot vinikthe inner -flangeof saidi-barspaced to one side of thefaxis lof swingingmovement :of the ventivlatoic panel, azbracket having apart occupying apositioninsaid slot and @having a portion secured r`totheba'se of'thefchannel-shapedsbottom bar, a L latch: armf-pivotedwtofsaid part andengageable with `means lon @the :main vframe `forK securing theAventilator in .its closed position in the main frame, 1f andfan`escutcheonplate concealing said part and slot.

3. A ventilator windowassemblyrcornprising a fmain frame, aventilator-panel supportedl tin the mainframe `for-swingingmovementabout a genserallyf vertically "extending, axis, a frame for'the ventilator panel having an upwardly opening channel-shaped bottombar for receiving the lower edge portion of the panel and having a slotin the inner ange of said bar space to one side of the axis of swingingmovement of the ventilator panel, a bracket having a part occupying aposition insaidslot.,and=being ofa length approximatinglthe length ofithe 51013,. an attaching ange extending laterally outwardly from thelower end of said part and secured to the base of the channel-shapedbottom bar, a latch arm '."piv'oted'tosaidpart, and means on the main-`frameengageable with the latch arm in one posi- :itiioni thereof to;Asecure the ventilator in its closed vExposition'relative'to the mainframe.

4.1.'Al:ventilatonxwindow assembly comprising a t, main framef av.ventilator panel supported in the mainframe forswinging movement abouta genr'erally` vertically extending axis, a frame for the ventilatorpanel having an upwardly opening `channel-shaped rbottomr` Pbar for:receivingpthe lower edgeportionfof.V the 'panelandhavingaslot iny theinner flange ofV saidban-spaced, toV onefside of the axis of swingingmovement..ofethefventilator=panel,` a bracket havingannpstandingepart loccupying aposition, in said .slotfand-'beingof a length A correspondingsubstantially ,-to; the length 0i .the slot; .an .attaching riiangeVextending.laterally .outwardly from the bottom. of" said part jinto thechannel of Y the bottom yventilator; frameabar beneath the adjacent.edgeeotA .thepanel Eand sei curedtothe baseofsaid channel,.,aflatcharmpivoted to the upstandingpartfand. havingv aportion engageable withmeans.onithelixedrame-in one .position of the arm to secure.the.ventilatorl .in

i itsfclosed position, and a.finishingplateloonceali ing'saidupstandingpartandslot.

